Water damage for the residential home owner can be unexpected and upsetting. Personal belongings affected must have immediate attention to ensure complete restoration is successful. Water damage can occur because of a broken water pipe, sewage back up, toilet overflow or any number of reasons.
There are specific steps that can be taken to stop further damage during the first 24 hours which is crucial.The first is to get a proper water extraction using either portable or truck mounted extraction units to eliminate all standing and visible waters from floors. Proper water removal by this method will shorten the overall needed drying time and lessen potential expense to the home owner. Of course a professional hired with proper equipment can perform this service with greater results than say someone using a shop vac and no prior experience. The problem with a shop vac is the time it takes to extract 5 gallons of water can be hours compared with portable or truck mounted units that can drawn up the same amount in minutes. This is crucial because that same amount of water can migrate to other dry places in the house not yet affected and become absorbed into additional materials running the risk of further damage.
Wet carpets if not properly treated will start to smell after the first 24 to 48 hours. Water borne mold spores start to germinate after the first 24 hours under the right conditions of humidity, temperature and an organic food source present. Drying out wet carpets first starts with a good extraction. Wet carpets without proper care will definitely start to smell after 48 hours. A reputable water damage company can prevent many heartaches down the road giving solid consultation and quick response to water soaked areas of a residence. The cost of water damage repairs and restoration can be minimized if the skilled work of a liscened technician is brought in immediately.
Most flooding that occurs within a residence can be completely dry within 3 days if proper care and quick response time is given. The key is lowering the indoor humidity through dehumidification and evaporation toapproved levels. The art of drying is considered a science and when properly performed can save the home owner facing a water loss additional costs and repairs.